Magnolia Mom

I’ve got so many posts “in the works,” but it just seems I can’t get them finished right now. So be patient. In the mean time…

With the beautiful weather that we’re having, comes a very nerve-wracking time for me. It’s “teacher hiring season.” I so badly want to be back in the classroom. This year of subbing has really opened my eyes to so many things and I’m ready to put a lot of those ideas to use. I know there is a reason for all things that happen and God has my master plan. I’m just praying that me getting a teaching job this spring is in His plan! Although after reading about the teacher units that are going to be cut, it’s once again not looking promising. So I’m asking you to pray that God has a classroom for me. I will definitely have a huge post if my prayers are answered.

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You’ll probably see more random entries, because I just feel like I’m not documenting my life. And with all the stresses, I just don’t see how I’ll remember all this. In fact, I’m upset that I haven’t documented more the last couple of years. Oh well…I never said I was a great writer, or that my stuff is even interesting.

So anyway, I’ve been substitute teaching more the last couple weeks. Up until today, I had subbed 8 straight days, which is good since I’m not getting any compensation any more. I’m hoping and praying that I can continue to work pretty much every day, at least until I find something more permanent.

I still teach music twice a week at a local day care. Not sure if I ever shared that with yall, but I’ve been doing that for a year now. It was something good to get me out of the house and to have something on my resume. In the last year, I’ve pretty much checked out all the music related books at the public library. Living in a college town really has a lot of perks, but you don’t realize how nice it is until you do. Of course, as a student you’re all in the midst of it all, but you don’t see it from a normal working citizen. At least when I was in college, I felt like I lived in a bubble. Anyway, my point being that just down the street is one of the largest libraries in the state, thanks to Auburn University! Several times in the past I’ve thought about getting an alumni card so that I can check out books at the AU library. This week I finally took the steps to do it. I feel so official with an alumni card, which looks like a student ID. WOW! If that doesn’t bring back memories.

So today I headed over to campus to use my card and check out books, so I could write my music plans for next week. Anyone who lives here or in a college town probably knows what a pain in the tail it is to park anywhere near campus! I usually just park in the library parking deck illegally and pray I don’t get a ticket for not have a (B) parking tag, but can you believe they PAY someone to stand at the entry to the lot??? I was shocked, but even more perturbed! So I drove around trying to find Duncan Street so I could get a visitor pass. Couldn’t remember where that is, so I ended up parking in the Auburn Hotel and Conference Center parking lot. All the places around campus have huge signs saying TOW AWAY ZONE. I parked there and prayed that I could get done fast enough that my car would still be there when I got back.

Going up the 3rd floor to the juvenile section brought back lots of memories. I was able to grab a few books and run. I plan to go back after business hours so I park in the parking deck and not have to worry about getting a ticket or being towed. I could spend hours in that library.

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God has answered some of our prayers. I mentioned in an earlier post 2 prayer requests. Hope has gone to heaven to be with her Savior and Stellan was able to leave the hospital. We have so much to be thankful for.

I have a personal prayer request. I’m not one to ask for help normally, but when times are tough and you feel you have no where else to turn God is the answer. I need you to ask God to help Rob and me with our financial future. We continually hear about the devastation of the nation’s economy and then, even more about our state’s education budget and how it continues to go down the drain and that it’s not going to get any better. It all just leaves me with even more questions and a true feeling of hopelessness. I love that I’ve started a photography business, but that’s not enough to sustain our day to day needs and I really do need a full time job. I will continue to do my business in my free time and weekends. So please just pray that God will open doors for me and that he will help us through this rough time. Thank you

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Gosh, I think it’s been forevah since I’ve written! I’ve been drowning in work. I’m quickly getting burnt out, so I’m trying to get ahead and stay ahead so that I won’t feel so overloaded. Today was only the 3rd day of school, which is scary. It seems every year I become burned out quicker and quicker. I just keep thinking, I need to find something else to do. There’s a lot of great things about teaching, but I’m just not sure it’s what I’m meant to do. But then, I think about the summers off. Although they’re short, it’s still better than any other career. Plus we’re getting another raise this year, which will be another 7%, which is SWEET! And the benefits and retirement here in Alabama are great. So as much as I feel like I’m drowning, working 13-14 hours a day, and sleeping less and less, I need to find a way to NOT be burned out.

I watched a movie the other day and it just touched me beyond belief. I cried till my eyes were red and puffy and I had a pounding headache. No really, it really was a great movie. It was a Christian based movie called Facing the Giants. It made me think about my Faith and how I turned to it during my rough summer. I hadn’t prayed much and I felt guilty for praying so insistently, when I knew I hadn’t been faithful about it otherwise. I need to dust off my Bible and begin reading again. Throughout the entire hellish time this summer, I just kept telling myself that I’m putting this in His hands and He will take care of me. He is doing this for a reason. Why? I have no idea WHY and I guess I may never know why. Everything occurs for a reason and He never gives you more than you can handle. So many times before I thought I was being overwhelmed and everything was stacked against me. After enduring such trials and tribulations this summer I know now that I can survive, but I know that I only survived through such a hard time because of Him. For those of you who don’t know what I’m referring to when talking about this summer, you’d have to have the passwords for those entries.

As for what all this has to do with my new job, I’m once again putting this in God’s hands to get me through this very busy time. I’m having a hard time working this much, because I feel like I’m neglecting my family. I know He can get me through this.

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Uh! Today is my last day of summer…

I am still up to my eyeballs in stuff I should be doing for work. Have I done anything for work today? No! I’ve been working on my trip write up, still, and working on posting pics to flickr. I was hoping to have the post and pics completed before I head back to work. Not sure if that’s happening. I’m just realizing how boring I’ve become here on this place that’s supposed to be my blog. I’ve done a sucky job with it this summer, but I’m hoping once I get through the first few weeks of school, I can get into a groove of actually writing something a little more worth reading. Thanks for my 4 readers, who have stuck by me through this rough time in my life. I do have some stories about this kids that I’ve been meaning to post. I’ll try to get those written soon, before I forget.

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Well, we made it back Sunday from our anniversary trip. I’ve been busy getting ready to go back to work on Friday. I started going through the 400+ pictures and trying to write everything up that we did and hope to get that posted soon.

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Sorry I’ve been so MIA lately. I feel like I haven’t blogged in ages. Last week I started working on cataloging every single book in my classroom library. Not only that, but I’m adding 350+ books that I’ve kept at home. I’m doing it for a couple of reasons. One of which is to free up shelf space at home and I think with the organizing and leveling my library, I’ll hopefully still be able to locate these books when I need them to use for my lessons. Yah, we’ll see how that goes! So I had to create the database and figure out exactly how I was going to organize and level the books. So for the last week I’ve been slaving over that. Not only entering the books in with all sorts of info about each book, but I’m also putting pockets in the back with a check out card. I’m also labeling each card and book, so that everything can be returned back where it’s supposed to go. I still have about 70 books left to enter and I have about 200+ that I still need to put the pockets and labels on. And the sad thing is that I haven’t even started on the books that were already in my classroom library! Not to mention that I’ve got tons of planning to do. etc. etc. Yah, I know you’re thrilled!

Tomorrow we’re headed the Braves game. We’re leaving the kids with my in-laws for the week. I wish I could say I was going to get to relax and enjoy some ME time, but I’m going to be working. Blah-blah-blah…Wednesday Mr. Mag and I are headed on our little getaway trip for our anniversary.

I’ve got some other stuff I need to fill you in on, but that we’ll have to wait for now.

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Just to let you know for anyone still out there. I’m still here. Just extremely busy getting ready for the new school year to start. Mr. Mag and I are heading out of town next week to celebrate our 10th anniversary (early).

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I think I’ve ran off my fan club. Haha! I know I haven’t been posting on a regular basis but many of you know things for me haven’t been great. The new house is wonderful and I have great neighbors. In fact, the boys played with the 2 boys next door and we ate dinner over there tonight. We had a really great time. If you’re reading this, Stef, THANKS!!!! It was nice to get away from the house and not think about unpacking and organizing and cleaning and everything else I’ve had to think about. We got bikes for the family yesterday. TV Boy needed a new bike and I’ve been wanting to get a bike. It will be nice to ride bikes as a family. We got a trailer to pull Monkey Boy in. That should be interesting.

I haven’t had a chance to take pics of the storage shed we built. I’ll try to do that this weekend. We’re going to see Foreigner tomorrow, which should be fun.

Have a good one!

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